Hunter
by Jack Russo
Summary: StarFox is gone. And being unable to live any semblance of normal life, Fox tries his hand in becoming a lone bounty hunter. But he has much to learn if he is going to survive the rigors of hunting. Even if it means being forced to team up with his rival. Fox/Wolf.
1. Chapter 1

**[Hunter]  
**  
Atlas – Bryyo

 _Star Fox and all characters within the Nintendo universe are copyright their respected owners.  
_

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 **CHAPTER ONE  
**

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 **A/N:** Hello, everyone. After toying around with Dive Bar, I figured I'd give an actual Wolf/Fox story a chance. I spent most of my winter break planning this one out (lies, I played Overwatch more than I should have) and was able to sketch out a good 10 chapter or so story that I hope you all find enjoyable. This story will eventually have mature scenes in it so if you are not comfortable with m/m romance then feel free to skip this story. For now, the story will be rated T due to strong language and violence, but it will eventually be elevated to M.

Admittedly, I'm not too happy with how this chapter came out, but I feel if I stare at it any longer I may edit it to oblivion. Again, I hope you like it, and enjoy [Hunter]! I appreciate your comments and critiques.

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Fox was completely out of his element, and he was made more aware of it the longer he lingered in the cantina. At the moment, he was leaning up against the bar top, surveying the thirteen or so patrons who went along with their mid-day drinking without paying him any mind. Perhaps, because of how he was dressed today, they had more reason to ignore the vulpine. He had his face concealed behind a helmet which only gave away his canine features, the tint on in order to keep his identity obscure. His body was covered in spacer getup, a mix of black and grey armor plating and leather. Holstered on his belt was a blaster pistol that hung heavily on his left side and a retractable, metal bo staff was attached magnetically to the armor plating on his back. The only thing exposed was his orange tail which swayed left and right casually.

His wrist P.D.A. chimed a few notes and he toggled the message to display onto his H.U.D. The message read:

 _Target: Havoc was last seen at this location approximately three months ago. There are no recent sightings in the area since then, but data suggests he is still in Wurthord, Katina._

Fox groaned and decided finally to take a seat. The bartender, a large bulldog whose belly button peeked out of the bottom of his stained shirt, acknowledged him while helping another guest at the opposite end of the counter.

The cantina was a sleazy place. Faded pictures of old western movies littered the walls here and there while the bar area was decorated with empty beer bottles atop many shelves where actual merchandise were displayed. There was little light inside, the majority coming from the holographic dancer and pole that was the centerpiece of the establishment. A few other Lylatians sat in the circular seating area around it and Fox swore one man was getting too involved with the hologram based off the noises and grunts he kept making. At the rear of the cantina were the restrooms along with a maze of pool tables that remained vacant for the time being. His sense of smell was dulled within his helmet, but Fox was all too aware of the thick tobacco smoke that hung in the air like fog.

"What can I git ya, space man?" said the bartender as he approached him.

"Nothing at the moment," replied Fox. "Unless, you have some information I could use?"

"Information doesn't come cheap in these parts," snorted the canine. "What do ye have in mind?"

Fox squinted and placed a 500 credit bill on the counter. "I want information on Havoc."

The canine raised an eyebrow at the money. "Yer a Hunter, then?"

Fox hesitated. "Yes."

"We've had quite a few of ye'folks hop onto Wurthord lately. Something about big game in th'area. They think th' place is rife with money."

"Tell me something I don't know."

The canine frowned. "I ain't seen no Havoc in these parts as of late."

"What do you know about him?"

"Ye' mean ye don't know?" he flinched. "What, are ye new to this shit, son?"

Fox grit his teeth upon hearing the man's change in tone, realizing how easily his inexperience had shown. He did his best to hide back how flustered he was, glad to be behind the helmet. Granted, this was his first attempt at bounty hunting and he had hoped his experience working as a mercenary with StarFox would've supported his endeavor. Instead, he found out he was having to do more research and that work involved time on the ground and outside the safety of his cockpit.

He was working with limited resources, only able to gather up his armor and some weaponry from the funds his team had received at the end of the Aparoid war as well as with the sale of the Great Fox. When it came to combat, his experience in Sauria refined his melee skills, but he was also pretty proficient in using blaster weaponry should he need to. What was in stark contrast was that he now was working alone. Before, he always had someone to rely on; Slippy for the tech, Falco for combat support, Peppy for advice and even Krystal for her insight and ability to help him sort through his thoughts more clearly. Just remembering her made him cringe a bit.

"Enlighten me," said Fox, maintaining his stoic appearance.

"Havoc's been a'selling illegal arms in these areas fer years. From Katina ta'the clusters and ships out there." He spoke as if it was common knowledge. "Hell, I even have a few of his guns."

"So he's well liked in these parts?"

"Not at all," bulldog scoffed. "No fool likes that swindler."

" _This is something I can work with_ ," thought Fox before asking, "If no one really is fond of him, I'd figure getting his bounty should be easy."

"Should be, but it ain't. Fucker's slippery. Just when ye' want to git rid of 'em he makes a deal ye can't pass up."

"I'll remember that when I find him."

"Find who?" drawled a voice behind him. Fox turned his head and watched the man take the seat beside him, his stomach sinking as he recognized who he was.

"O'Donnell," mused the bar tender. "What brings ya here?"

"Freedom," he shrugged. "And work."

"Freedom?"

"That's right. I no longer have money on my head. Got to thank those arrogant pricks in StarFox for that." The way he said it made Fox roll his eyes.

"Is that so?" hummed the bartender. "I had heared ye' lot had helped out. Didn't know that meant ye had the bounty removed. Lucky."

Wolf raised up his right hand up as if holding a whiskey glass, the fat canine understanding and turned to make him a drink. Fox noticed Wolf was dressed differently than he was familiar with. That being said, he never saw much of Wolf outside of the communication links they shared while up in the air. For now, he wore armor of red and black, similar to the metal and leather material of Fox's suit, albeit, more haggard and worn in. His eyes lingered to the blaster pistol holstered on the lupine's hip, a small and ragged bayonet extending out from the end. Wolf's expressions were hard to read, his ears arched forward, attentive, while his combat visor made examining his facial features difficult. Being this close to him, Fox could tell he was also pretty large for his own species - his strong musculature and stature still evident despite all the armor. Their eyes met a moment before the lupine returned his attention to the bull dog.

"So what have you and this green fool been talking about?"

"Havoc."

"Is that so," sneered Wolf, turning his head to Fox's concealed face. "What have you said to him?"

"Nothin' too juicy. Not yet."

"I see," said Wolf. Under his fierce gaze, Fox swore he could make him out from his disguise. He didn't know what would have happened if he did, but, even though they left in amicable terms after the war, he didn't want to push his luck. He sighed in relief when Wolf looked away and grasped the drink the bartender slid in front of him.

"Well spill it, Frank," demanded Wolf. "Tell us the juicy shit."

"Are ye on the hunt too, then?"

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing. T'would be funny, if not ironic. The prey now th' hunter."

"I was never prey," growled Wolf, taking a gulp.

"Back on topic," said Fox, throwing his voice as best he could but he saw Wolf's ears twitch anyway. "Tell me what I paid for."

"This fucker paid?" frowned Wolf, slamming his glass down. "You really are green, aren't you, moron?"

Fox ignored him and leaned forward on the counter top, blank mask staring back at the bartender.

"Fine, fine," he shrugged. "If ye' really want'a know, word has it lil' Havoc is in trouble with botching a local gang's delivery. They're not all happy an'all so the poor man is a'hiding."

"Which gang?" asked Wolf.

"I believe it's th' Forester gang. The one's in th' North district."

"So a good, what, twenty miles from here."

"That sounds 'right."

Fox pondered that, realizing that if the gang ended up killing Havoc then his chance at making money went up in smoke. The bounty board was pretty particular about bringing this one in alive. But the best chance for him to capture the man would be to…

"So basically," began Wolf, "let the gangs find him, sweep in and take him myself."

"Yerself?"

Without warning, Wolf turned to the vulpine and shoved him off his seat, Fox gasping as he fell on his back. The lupine stomped a boot over his chest and pulled out his gun, kneeling low enough to place the bayonets rigid edge to Fox's neck. Despite being well armored, the threat was made clear.

"Listen here, moron," he started. "You may have some foolish dreams of grandeur but here's your first lesson in being a hunter."

Fox grimaced, feeling the pressure in his chest build up when the lupine leaned down further.

"Lesson one: everything is fair game. You telegraph your intent that easily you make yourself a quick target for rival hunters. That means your bounty is now mine. So don't you get any ideas of showing your space-ass when I grab Havoc, because, if you do, I'll kill you."

He removed his foot and Fox scrambled to get back up, aware his attempt at keeping up a tough guy image was completely shattered. Wolf shook his head and laughed with the bartender while holstering his gun. Unsure of anything else to do, Fox scampered out of the cantina, fists balled and his tail stiff between his legs. The last thing the great Fox McCloud needed was to be considered weak on his own and he was ever more grateful he chose to hide his face.

He cursed to himself once out in the streets, the mid-day sun bearing down on him while the wind kicked up dust every so often. There were people out, but other than a few curious glances they gave him Fox ignored them; he was too lost in his own thoughts to bother with anyone anyway. Wolf's threat was something to be worried about, but he had spent too much money and worked too hard to just give up now. It was not the Fox way. Instinctively, he turned northward, whispering a quick command to his P.D.A. for information on the Forester gang of Katina.

~ :::: ~

It took nearly an hour for Fox to find anything meaningful about the gang before he felt confident enough that he could locate them. They were a small up-and-coming group that had managed to bully local residents of north Wurthord into paying for protection from other groups. Despite their size, their members were quite adept at gunfights and had managed to make a name of themselves as a growing threat. This in turn prompted more interest in their gang and, as of late, they had seen their numbers surge from twenty to fifty as well as expanded their business from mercenary protection to include illegal drugs trading and weapons dealing.

In order to supply their growing ranks, they began working with Havoc. Fox wasn't able to pinpoint why their arrangement didn't work out, but he knew that if the group was trying to establish a strong front then Havoc wouldn't have much time left to live. And with Wolf on his tail the vulpine would have to work much faster and much more carefully.

Once he was confident with everything he gathered about the gang he eventually found himself kneeling in front of an old, abandoned factory behind a stack of cinder blocks which crumbled upon his touch. The building was large and had two smokestacks reaching upward into the sky. It was made entirely of red brick, spotted with many windows caked with dirt and soot they concealed everything that was inside, save for a few areas where the glass had broken. The walls by the ground were covered in graffiti, the most noticeable being the word 'Forester' painted in large letters by the doors. He gave the surroundings another quick glance, his ears picking up little to no sounds of anyone nearby before he bolted through the entrance and into the dark building.

The interior was in no better shape. There was an old assembly line that ran from one end to the other and looked to be in disrepair. Multiple stacks of shipping containers lined the nearest walls, their paint chipping and rust starting to overtake the metal. It was dim inside, and only the bright rays of sunlight seeping through the broken glass provided any sufficient lighting.

Fox made the nearest container his first hiding spot, weaving between the opened doors and into the box. He peered out the opening, his H.U.D. pointing out random bits of information about his surroundings but nothing too important.

" _Looks like I made it unseen_ ," he smiled to himself. " _This might be a piece of cake, after all_."

Fox stepped back out and gingerly wove his way between old equipment and debris to the back of the factory. It was then that he began to pick up the sounds of someone coughing, some cursing, as well as nervous laughter. His H.U.D. alerted him that the source was up ahead and he continued sneaking his way forward.

" _Bingo_ ," he thought as he arrived at what looked like a small, boxed-in arena whose perimeter was made with more of the shipping containers. The flooring here had completely fell into ruin and chunks of it jutted upward while the rest caved into the dirt below. He spied the catwalk above them as well as a rusted spiral stairway at the other end of the room, but couldn't see anyone there. In the center of the room were five men: A rhino, a bear and three canines who each wore a bandana to cover their muzzles. All of them appeared to be built tough, the bear being the largest of them all. They stood in front of another man, a cheetah, whose hands were tied with rope and hooked onto a chain that suspended him up in the air like a piece of meat. Fox could easily see that he wasn't holding up well and was already battered and bruised.

"Please," cried out the cheetah. "I don't know what happened to your guns. I'm telling the truth!"

"And that must be Havoc," thought Fox.

"Can it, ye' scum," said the rhino. He took a few steps forward, Fox knowing he must be the leader from his swagger. "We've herd yer excuses. An' if I remember right, that was what…. When was 'dat, Jake?"

"Nearly a month ago, boss," said the bear.

"Dat's right. A whole mutha' fuckin' month ago."

The cheetah howled as the rhino threw out two punches to his gut. "I've told you...I don't know-"

"I don't know! I don't know!" Mimicked one of the canines, making air quotes with his paws and getting laughter from his entire crew. "It Sounds like all he can say is: I don't know."

Havoc spat out, blood mixed in with his saliva. "I can do something better," he stuttered. "Make something worth more of Forester's time."

"Save yer' bull shittin' for someone that cares," snarled rhino. "You've already given us yer sales pitch. That's not what we asked." He leaned in for another punch but feinted, laughing as the cheetah grimaced and squealed out.

Fox shifted uncomfortably from his position, beginning to realize that the men were probably near finished toying with the poor man. He eyed them each carefully and his H.U.D. highlighted each man's holstered guns. Yes, they were all built strong, but so was Fox, and he knew he'd have the speed advantage over all them. Havoc wheezed, prompting Fox that he'd have to make his move soon.

" _Not yet, not yet_ ," he muttered under his breath.

"What if I sweetened the pot," Havoc tried after a moment, his eyes jumping between all five men anxiously.

"An' just how can ye sweeten' the deal?"

He bit his lip before answering. "I can offer you the location of another and better bounty."

Fox's ears twitched in interest, but the other men growled their disapproval.

Rhino grabbed Havoc by the neck, the cheetah struggling with raspy breaths. "We're not interested in yer bounty, dumbass," he sneered. "Yer gonna be our example."

He released his hold and turned back to rejoin his other men, their victim swinging slightly from the movement. Fox saw Havoc begin to hyperventilate; things were reaching their end.

"Yer our example, Havoc," repeated the rhino. "Our proof 'dat no one can mess with th' Forester gang! Ev'ryone knows you fucked up. Ev'ryone knows we're pissed. And soon, ev'ryone will see yer dead corpse hangin' in th' middle of th' streets."

There were nods and grunts of approval from the other men, but Havoc's eyes just grew large and he inhaled sharply, realizing that this time he didn't have a way out. He watched in horror as all five men began pounded their fists into their own hands and inched closer to him. Immediately he stuttered out cries for mercy, screaming out that he was sorry and that he could fix things. But it all fell upon deaf ears.

To all except one.

Fox bolted out from his position and raced to the smallest of the five men, a canine in the center, all the while pulling out his Bo staff and extending it out to its full length. He planted the end of the staff in the dirt and allowed the momentum to catapult him up and land a solid kick against his unsuspecting target's skull. The canine yelped out a startled cry that was muffled with dirt as he face-planted. Fox took advantage of the surprise and knelt low to sweep the two men beside him to the floor.

"Who th' hell!?" demanded the rhino, but Fox spun in a quick and low turn to sweep him also, staff clanking loudly against metal boots.

The bear behind him started to gather his wits and tugged at his holstered blaster. Using his staff for support, he rose up, whipped out his own gun and fired three rounds into the bear's chest.

" _Well now, one's down for good_ ," grinned Fox, re-positioning himself; staff in one hand, blaster in the other.

All that were left now were the rhino, and three remaining canines. Scratch that, two more canines; the one he had kicked was still out cold on the floor. He eyed the remaining men; the canines who scrambled to get back up, and the rhino who still struggled to regain his footing due to his size. If he didn't take another out of the picture soon he'd have trouble.

"Get them!" Havoc cried out to Fox.

"You hang in there," he smirked, though the cheetah couldn't see it.

One of the men lunged at Fox, the vulpine reacting quickly, strafing to his right and hurling his staff downward, a very distinct crack sounding as it bashed into the canid's skull. Fox vaulted over the body toward the last dog, surprising him as he landed both boots on his shoulders and backflipped away, firing a single shot into his head upon landing.

"Ya son of a bitch," cried out the rhino, finally back on his feet, nostrils flaring. He stomped and lowered his head, front horn protruding. It was meant to be intimidating, but Fox read his moves with ease. He howled and charged forward, lowering his head even more to try and impale him. Fox side-stepped to the left and let the hulking man crash into the spiral staircase, lodging himself between the steps and coiling the metal around him.

"Fuck ya, man! Don't'cha know who we are? We're the Forester gang! Yer gonna be so fuckin' sorry you ever-"

"Shut up," groaned Fox, firing a single round to silence his rambling.

There was now a still quiet as he retracted his staff and let it cling onto his back. He gave each of the gang members a quick glance before turning his attention to Havoc. The man was gasping for breath but looked relieved. Fox fired at the chains that held him up in the air and let him stumble to the dirt before holstering his weapon.

"Dude," said Havoc. "You are in so much shit now, don't you know? Like, waist high in shit!"

"A 'thank you' would be nice," Fox rolled his eyes.

"Thank you? What for? This just means Forester will be after both of our asses now." He threw his tied up hands forward, pointing to each of the men on the floor. "Especially with three dead men!"

"If they fight like these guys here, I'm not too worried." Fox knelt over Havoc, but didn't make any effort to untie him or help him up.

It was a simple gesture, but enough to deepen the scowl on the cheetah's face. "Oh shit, you're a hunter, aren't you?"

"Bingo."

"Wait, wait, wait!" he scuttled back. "I can help you out!"

Fox snorted. "I heard you liked to make deals. Sorry pal, it's not going to work for me."

"Oh come on! Don't you know who I am?"

"Havoc. Illegal arms dealer."

"Ok, so you do know. But think about it! You're a hunter. My measly 20,000 credit bounty will only take you so far. Part of that will be used for repairs on your equipment. Ammo. Upgrading your gun. Even your staff."

"Part of the job, man."

"And...and," he gave Fox a quick examination, looking him from head to toe. "And look at you! Armor and all. I bet underneath that you're a nice and burly man. The rest of your money you'd end up using on alcohol and pussy."

This got Fox to howl in laughter, but Havoc took it as a sign that he was making progress. The cheetah scooted up closer to him, grasping Fox's hands.

"See! I could be that dude that supplies your weapons! And for saving my life, at a great discount! I'd take 5% off! I'll be your slave! I'll do anything. Hell, I'd even let you fuck me if you're into that."

Fox recoiled and pulled away. It had been entertaining, but he stiffened and returned to a more serious stance and tone. "It's not going to work. I chose this job for the cash. You can't convince me otherwise."

"Aw, dude, c'mon! Please? Just think about it!"

"Too late, bud," said Fox, picking up the remaining chain from Havoc's bound hands and pulled him up. The cheetah struggled but eventually gave in and stood, ears folded back. They both didn't take more than two steps toward the only exit before they stopped. Fox growled as he recognized the figure blocking the path between the industrial containers.

"You really can't take a hint, can you, dumbass?" sneered Wolf. He had his blaster pointed squarely at Fox's direction. "I told you to scram and instead you get in my way."

"Lord O'Donnell," stuttered Havoc. "Oh thank goodness you're here! This man was trying to turn me in! You have to stop him!"

"Shut the fuck up, Havoc," snarled Wolf.

"The job's done," countered Fox. "He's mine."

Wolf lowered his blaster and approached slowly, eyeing at the men on the floor. Fox stood still as the lupine circled around them, never keeping his gaze off of him.

This wasn't what Fox had wanted at all. He knew Wolf was resourceful, but didn't think he'd be here so soon. If he had to, he knew he'd have to engage with his rival. But that there was a huge unknown for him; all their encounters before had been in the air within their cockpits. Fox had not seen how well Wolf could fight. He stared quizzically at Wolf, who was content with examining the bodies and the damaged surroundings. It was then that he realized that the lupine wasn't admiring his work, but studying it. The man was taking this opportunity to judge his own combat prowess to Fox's. He needed to hurry.

"Like I said, the job's done. I'm going."

"Not so fast. You think that taking out a few goons and having your mark in chains means you're finished? Not a chance."

Wolf finally locked eyes with Fox's helm. He took a few steps forward with his gun raised again, his boots landing heavily on the dirt, grinning. It took a lot of self-control and discipline for Fox to hold his ground against the larger man, but in the air or not, Fox didn't want Wolf to know he was intimidated.

You see," continued the lupine. "The job isn't finished until this sap is handed over to your employer, which means this game is still on." He was close enough to Fox now that the bayonet touched the glass of his helmet. And just for show, Wolf allowed it to scratch along the surface. "And like I said before: If you telegraph your intent that easily you make yourself a quick target for rival hunters."

"Wait, this means you're trying to turn me in too?" cried Havoc incredulously. "You're a hunter now, O'Donnel?"

The lupine didn't say anything but shrugged.

"I can't fucking believe this. You traitorous fuck! Turning back on us to become a hunter?"

"Shut up!" both Fox and Wolf growled.

But Fox took Havoc's words as an opportunity. "He's right, 'O'Donnell'. If your cronies out there hear that you've turned against them, you'll have more problems than this fool's worth to deal with."

"I've got a better idea," smirked Wolf. "You give me Havoc. I get his cash. You get nothing."

"Not going to happen."

Wolf aimed his blaster to the cheetah instead and fired at his legs. Havoc's scream echoed throughout the facility as he stumbled to the ground and cradled his injured leg. Blood began to puddle underneath him and the cheetah looked back up at both Wolf and Fox with disbelief.

"What the hell! If he dies his bounty ain't worth shit," cried out Fox.

"Back to my deal," snarled Wolf. "You give me Havoc. Or, if you insist on fighting, I kill him here out right and you're left to deal with me. And don't think some fancy footwork can save you. Either way, you get nothing. Except maybe your life."

Wolf shifted his blaster back toward Fox. Inside his helmet Fox had his lips curled back and exposed his front canines. From the corner of his eye he could see Havoc, the poor man still cradling his leg and his face returning to that same contorted terror that he had when the Forester men were about to kill him.

He tried to examine the lupine quickly. They were both heavily armored, but Fox had never sparred with him hand-to-hand before. He may have had speed but, judging from Wolf's build and appearance, his rival had more power. And unlike the rhino who Fox took out earlier, Wolf could still easily counter Fox's agility with minimal effort. Wolf also made it clear that he didn't care if Havoc lived or not, which meant that Fox would be too concerned for the cheetah to fight at his best. It left him with one other option, though he didn't like it.

"Fine," growled Fox, throwing the chain onto the ground.

"Good to see you have some sense to you," grinned Wolf. "Now, don't you dare move for a good ten minutes while we leave. If you do, I shoot the bastard." He leaned over to where Fox's ears should've been. "Remember now, newbie… If he dies, it's all on you."

Fox stood helplessly as Wolf kicked Havoc over while barking orders at him to move. The cheetah grimaced as he hit the dirt and scampered up to his feet to limp slowly forward, his leg still bleeding from the blaster wound.

"Don't get any funny ideas about running away, cat," Fox heard Wolf growl as their bodies disappeared behind the maze of shipping containers. Just to be on the safe side, Fox did wait those long and uneventful ten minutes among the fallen gangsters before making his way begrudgingly back to his ship.

~ ::: ~

It was a shorter walk back to the docking bay in comparison to how long it took Fox to gather intel but it felt much longer as he brooded over the fact that he got played. To make it worse, he got played by his rival and the other man did not even know it. He couldn't decide which part made the sting hurt more but either way, he tread onward, his fists balled and his metal boots clanging heavily as they hit the ground.

The receptionist at the help desk took his parking ticket while he huffed his way through the blast doors and into the elevator to his docking bay. Fox howled when the doors closed and gave the walls a good five punches. He seethed at the dents he made before closing his eyes, taking ten long and deep breaths to try and calm down. He was still riled up when the doors opened and he kicked at them on his way out.

His arwing rested a few yards away, it's silver and blue colors shimmering within the dimly lit docking bay. He tugged at the straps around his neck and yanked off his helmet, his fur damp with sweat He stomped toward his ship, halfway there before something hit him from behind, a curse escaping his lips and he turned around. On the floor was a large linen sack that clanged of loose metal coins as it hit the floor. And ahead of him was…

"Wolf? What the fuck," snarled Fox, drawing his gun.

"Quiet, pup," replied Wolf. He wore a smug grin on his face and his hands rested on his hips. "I had a feeling it was you at the cantina, but after that bit with Havoc, I was sure."

Fox's ears twitched at the familiar nickname. "So you knew it was me and felt it was best to fuck with me?"

"Of course," shrugged Wolf. "It's fun. And you make it so easy."

Fox fired his gun a few inches from Wolf's boots, but it didn't faze the older man.

"My my, so touchy, aren't we," he drawled, making steps toward him. "But I have to admit, you did surprise me. I didn't think you'd be able to do all this without your parrot or toad friend. And how you handled those men in there. Woo. Didn't think they knew what was coming." He nudged Fox's gun away with a paw, the vulpine instinctively lowering it to his side as the older male placed his paw onto Fox's shoulder. "And it gave me a wonderful idea."

"And what idea was that," gritted Fox, noting Wolf's proximity.

"Easy there, pup," glared Wolf. "I'm talking serious here."

"Then spill it out."

"We work together."

Fox's jaw opened so wide his tongue nearly lolled out. "Work together?"

"Yes. Work together," said Wolf firmly. "How about this. You still seem to be upset and in shock about what happened today. Take this card key," he started, pulling the key from a pocket within his armor and held it in front of the vulpine's face.

Fox had to holster his gun in order to grab it, and he gave it a curious examination before staring back into Wolf's lone eye.

"That there's the key to current my lodgings here in Katina. Should you be interested or I have at least stroked your ego and curiosity, come see me, room 225 B at the Arekstar's inn. We can talk about it more there. If not, then scram."

"And this?" asked Fox, giving the bag on the floor a light kick with his boot.

"Your cut from today," grinned Wolf. "Minus fee's for my work, of course."

Fox rolled his eyes as Wolf turned away to make his exit. "And what makes you think I'm even remotely interested?"

"Because I know you are. Meet me at noon tomorrow, pup. Or, like I said, scram."


	2. Chapter 2

**[Hunter]**

 **Atlas - Bryyo**

 _Starfox and all characters related to the Nintendo universe are copyright their respected owners._

 ** _A/N:_** _Hello, everyone. I had been working on this chapter for a while but had been holding off of publishing it on this site for a bit since I was toying with a few things this time around. Something I wanted to do was work better with perspective and tone. I thank Jaslazul for our chats and discussion of various authors and their use of prose that prompted me to test out the waters. While I don't think I did it as well as I wish I could have, I'm still learning and toying with it and I hope that the later chapters reflect it better than this one does. If there are any errors or if you have any comments/critiques, feel free to send me a review. I'm also going to upgrade the story to M, as suggested. Don't want to lure in some poor children into the fox's den!  
_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

Fox walked out into the hallway like a silent specter, taking slow steps through the sunlit corridor. A clock down the hall clicked a few times then opened out into a brief song; the bells inside the contraption playing off a familiar tune before bellowing out eleven long chords. Large portraits of various landscapes hung on the walls, ranging from tropical island locales to even the arid wastes of Titania. Fox let his paw linger on the window curtains as he passed, the fabric brushing up against his fingertips like liquid before falling away.

He stopped in front of the door with the decal reading 225 - B, the letter hanging upside down on the last nail that held it in place. The card key for the room was in his pocket and he grasped it after a moment's hesitation..

"Just what the hell am I doing here?" he muttered.

The events from the day before still played through his mind vividly. He grit his teeth, feeling the frustration and anger swell up and spread through his body as he recalled how Wolf played him for a fool. Out of nowhere, he swooped on in and took from him what was rightfully his; something he had worked hard for. If anything, he was at least going to make sure Wolf didn't interfere again. He had to set things straight with the lupine and establish clear boundaries between them.

As for this working together shit? Fox snorted. There was no way they'd ever be able to work together. They had too much bad history between them and he was convinced that anything they did try would have them killing each other.

" _That's right. Tell him no. Tell him to back off. Then get on with your life,"_ he thought.

Before inserting the card into the handle-slot he gripped his gun with a spare paw. A part of him wanted to pull it out of the holster, but he decided against it, squeezing the handle instead for reassurance. He waited like this a few minutes before he took a deep breath, believing he was ready, and used the card to step inside.

His eyes darted around the hotel room. Filtered sunlight came in through the sheer curtains opposite of Fox. There was an un-made queen bed that was littered with clothes and a few weapons that glint in the light. Empty bottles sat atop both nightstands, the alcohol smell mixing with the scent of mildew and mold. Across from the bed was an old television atop a dresser that filled the room with white noise. Fox spied Wolf's armor, sprawled out on the table and chairs to his left.

Despite all of these things belonging to Wolf, the man was nowhere inside. He sniffed the air a moment and frowned again. The room did smell like the lupine so he hadn't mistaken. However, there was another scent too. Feline. It was unfamiliar but if he had to guess: perhaps Panther? Fox's ears twitched, allowing them to listen in to the other sounds around him. There was nothing he could make out nearby. Could this be a trap?

He realized that he was still standing at the entrance with the door wide open. Silently, he shut it before making his way to the table. He glanced at the scattered pieces of armor and gave them a quick sniff. It certainly smelled like him. That mix of… Actually he couldn't describe it that well. A woodsy smell that blended with his lupine musk. For a moment, Fox pondered if Wolf wore cologne but shook it out of his mind since it wasn't really relevant to his current goal.

There was a loud crack behind him and Fox whirled around, drawing out his blaster. The sound had startled him, but what he saw doubled that.

Fox had disregarded the second door at the end of the room; his ears picking up the sound of running water - which he realized now was disguised by the white noise. The smell of damp fur crept up to his nose, mixed in with shampoo. And in front of him was Wolf. A very naked Wolf. Holding his gun at him.

"You're early," growled Wolf.

"What the hell," he stammered. "Your naked!"

He hadn't intended to, but Fox couldn't help but examine Wolf in his purest form. His gray fur was still sopping wet, but it clung to his skin and only made all aspects of him more noticeable. From the scar that ran across his damaged eye. His solid chest. Those strong biceps... Strong legs… Even the only white on his entire body around his groin. And even though Fox stood there agape… he couldn't point out why he couldn't pull his eyes away.

The older male lowered his gun and shook his head. "I said noon, pup. But I suppose it ain't bad you're _punctual_."

Fox holstered his gun, looking away. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you were-"

"Showering? Even us ole' outlaws like to be clean."

"I didn't mean to-."

"Whatever," he huffed and turned back into the bathroom.

Fox tilted his head enough to glimpse at Wolf's gray tail vanish behind the door. Was his rival embarrassed? That would almost make him endearing, he smiled.

And then he quickly wiped the smile off his face, shaking his head. " _Did I really just think that?"_

"Just push my armor to the floor and take a seat," Wolf barked out from the other room as the sound of running water diminished.

He was glad to have something to distract him to clear his head from what he had just seen. He turned promptly, picking up the pieces of armor. They were heavier than he expected and much different from his own. His eyes looked around, trying to find a good place to move them but opted to toss them onto the bed instead when he couldn't think of anywhere else. Wolf was coming back out by the time he pulled out a chair to sit down.

And whatever that quick work pushed out of his mind was all for naught when he and Wolf made eye contact. The lupine had rushed to dry his fur but was still damp, and he opted to wrap a towel around his waist rather than get fully dressed, leaving very little to the imagination.

"Why don't you get dressed?" Fox coughed, eyes lingering as Wolf pulled the seat across from him.

"Because if I put on clothes now they'll just get wet."

"Uh-huh..."

"Is it a problem?"

"Yes. I mean no!" He was being too clumsy he cursed to himself. "It's just a bit out of the ordinary."

"You're the one who came early. Don't blame me for trying to get myself decent. Besides, this is my room."

Fox sighed. He had to compose himself again. Get back to the point and state to Wolf why he did come here. Tell him no. But then he'd inhale again and the strong smell of the lupine's musk would wrap around his senses and send him spiraling into confusion again.

"So tell me about this idea," Fox said after a moment's silence. The whole time he hadn't taken his eyes off of Wolf's chest, avoiding his lower half hidden by both the table and his towel. Fox especially hadn't dared look him directly in his eyes.

"Not so fast," said Wolf. "I have a few questions I'd like cleared up before we start talking business."

Fox now chanced looking at his face. The man had put on a black eye-patch to cover his bad eye, probably while he was in the bathroom turning off the shower.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, leaning on the table to rest his head on a paw.

"Why are you here?"

He rolled his eyes. "You asked me to come here."

"Not here, fool. _Here_. In Katina."

Fox huffed and thought a bit about the words he should say. It was too early to spill the real reason he was out alone. Wolf had already figured out that what he was doing had put him out of his element, and he didn't want to seem so insecure here in front of him as well.

"I'm bored," he weaseled out.

Wolf tilted his head. "Bored?"

"Yes. Bored. How you feel when there's nothing to do." He looked at his rival, eyeing how he leaned forward on the table much like him to rest his head on both paws. "Why do you want to know anyway? If that's the case, why the hell are you here too?"

"I'm the one asking questions," he growled. "But the easiest answer you can understand is that this is my turf. And you're intruding." His eye stared straight at Fox, like a dagger trying to dig into his mind. "Go on. Why are you here?"

Fox leaned back on his chair. "It's like I said. I'm bored. After the aparoids were destroyed the only thing left to do was rebuild as much of the Cornerian infrastructure as possible. We had helped with that, for a while, but things were changing for everyone. Peppy's injury during that final battle did a good one on him and will never walk again. He's stuck at some desk job from now til he decides to retire."

"Falco is off jumping from club to club doing what he does best. Last I heard, he's also some test pilot for Arspace Dynamics. He's invited me to do a few flight sims with him and they're fun, for a while. But it isn't the same."

"And Slippy… He's going to get married soon."

"Wait, the toad?" choked Wolf. "Out of all you men, he's the one who is getting married?" He laughed, nearly curling forward. It was a hearty laugh and even Fox found himself grinning.

"Yes. He's getting married. It surprised all of us."

"And the blue one? What happened to her?"

Fox frowned and looked away toward the television. It wasn't any of Wolf's business to know what happened to her. He had only met her those few times in the air during the aparoid war and having remembered about her surprised Fox. His frown deepened as he thought up the best thing to say.

"She's with Panther," Wolf said softly.

That sudden realization hit him harder than he let on; his stomach sinking and reeling. He was aware of the bit of flirting Panther and she had done but had dismissed it as nothing at the time. What he didn't know about where the secret messages. The texting behind his back. And even the few late night meetings at one of the Meteo Orbital Stations. And then the sudden break up.

The vulpine looked his rival in the face, expecting some sort of distorted grin but saw nothing of that on his mug. Oddly, it was more sympathetic and that in itself felt reassuring to him. But it also made him feel something else. Something that sent adrenaline through him. He had to look away, unable to guess why Wolf was having this effect on him.

"Yes," he said after a moment. "She's with Panther."

He sighed and stared up at the ceiling, his eyes tracing random images on the faux wood. "She wanted more. A stronger connection than the one we had. Something that went beyond the mental link we shared. And for the longest time I thought and felt like I was doing enough to satisfy that need she had."

"But?" asked Wolf. It was more of a command than a question but he still leaned back forward, curious.

"But," Fox went on, "in reality it felt like our relationship had fizzed out. We were great together when it came to being on missions and what not. But outside of the cockpit we were just… platonic." Jeez, was he really spilling out all this information to Wolf?

"Platonic," Wolf echoed. "So you never fucked the bitch."

Fox's eyes snapped back to Wolf. "That's none of your business," he growled. "And don't call her a bitch."

Wolf grinned. "Poor, pup. Lost without his girlfriend and unable to get her wet and happy."

He growled. "Don't you dare."

"Oh come on," Wolf sneered. "I've heard about how you and bird boy used to run through the clubs and women like toilet paper. Use them up and then toss them like trash."

Fox's frown grew fiercer and he bared his teeth while Wolf continued on with a throaty laugh.

"I'm done talking here," he huffed, but Wolf slammed both of his hands on the table when he tried to rise. The change in mood caught Fox off guard and he shuddered a bit when he saw Wolf's snarl and extended claws on the table.

"This is a fun story, pup. But you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"

"I've already told you. I'm bored," he spat, already on edge from their recent exchange.

"Not good enough."

"There's nothing else to say."

"Get to the point, Fox!"

Fox howled and stood up abruptly with enough force he nearly knocked Wolf off of his chair. "Because I can't stand it!" he screamed out, loud enough that even Wolf's ears flattened.

The lupine eyed him curiously while Fox took a few deep breaths to collect himself. "I can't stand that life. It's not for me. Living like everyone else. Going on day after day doing some nine to five job." He looked squarely at Wolf with a piercing stare. "It's not for me," he repeated.

They stayed like that for a bit longer. Their eyes were locked together, the vulpine unsure if this was another game with the older man but he refused to lose in this staring contest. However, Wolf's expression slowly changed the longer they stared. In fact, it seemed more inquisitive, as if he was using what Fox had said to piece together information into some sort of plan.

"Sit," he finally said, breaking through the silence, his head cocking forward a bit to point at the chair Fox had used earlier.

Just for effect, Fox waited a bit before taking his seat. "Was that sufficient enough for you?"

Wolf nodded. "And that brought you here to Katina. To try out hunting?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad you ditched your armor to come and see me. Your green jumper isn't as obnoxious."

"I didn't think I'd need it."

"Good. It's much better to see that pretty mug of yours outside of that helmet." Fox nearly grinned, but Wolf went on to add, "So are you working alone? No one else knows what you're up to?"

"You mean my team?"

"No, I mean the great keepers of the universe. Of course, dipshit."

"They don't know," Fox flattened his ears. "StarFox has disbanded."

He didn't know what reaction he really was expecting from Wolf, but the one he got was not it. The lupine's eyes furrowed and he scowled, backing further into his seat as if repelled by something abhorrent. "Disbanded?"

"Yes. Disbanded."

Wolf stood up and took a few steps toward the dresser. His fur had dried a bit and was starting to fluff up messily. It would've been comical if it weren't for the dangerous glare the older man gave him when he looked over his shoulder, teeth bared.

Fox smiled weakly. "I thought you'd be happy to hear about that?"

Wolf turned fully and leaned on the dresser. "Why would that make me happy?"

"Well, you've been gunning after us for so long. Now we're gone and done, it just leaves Star Wolf out there to -"

"How trite, pup. Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you disband?" his eye squinted tighter.

"I had already told you. Slippy's getting married. Falco's off doing his own thing. Peppy's now in a wheelchair and behind a desk. And Krystal… she's opening up her own clinic." He sighed. "No one has time for being a merc anymore. They've all outgrown it. The only good thing that came from it was that the Great Fox sold and that debt is gone."

Wolf pondered that a moment, eye searching the carpet as if looking for some answer there. He looked back up at Fox, the vulpine noticing his expression had relaxed a bit. "Everyone has outgrown it. Except you."

Fox hesitated. "Yes."

It was silent after that, minus the soft buzzing of the white noise. He kept his eyes on Wolf, expecting some other remark, but didn't get one. The lupine seemed even more lost in thought, now staring off at the window, his eye glazed over trying to peer into something that wasn't there. Filtered light gave him a sort of glow and, again, Fox found himself admiring the older man's half-naked physique.

There was something else there. Something that Fox had never noticed about him before. In all their past encounters, it had always been a rough and abrasive Wolf that shouted curses and insults at him. But now… He couldn't put his paw on it, but there was something different about this Wolf he was talking with. Or rather, there was more depth to Wolf than Fox had given him credit for. It made Fox ever more curious.

Wolf finally broke the silence, giving his head a shake as if waking from a daze before looking into Fox's eyes. "Then this is more reason why we should work together."

Fox tilted his head and frowned. His original purpose for seeing Wolf rushing back to his mind. But instead of outright refusing, he asked, "And what makes you think that?"

Moving back to his seat across from Fox, he started, "Many reasons. The most obvious being what you just told me. You're without a team now. I take it your experience finding Havoc taught you some things?"

"If you mean that I spent most of my time on my computer digging for intel, then yes. I learned there was a lot more to hunting than just crashing into some hideout and pulling out a target."

Wolf smiled and leaned over a bit on his chair. "Research is key to finding your mark. But it's not the only thing. How you present yourself is also important."

Fox rolled his eyes. "You're referring to when we met at the cantina."

"Precisely."

"What did I do wrong there?"

"You made it too easy to read you."

Fox furrowed his brows. "I was completely disguised. Even you admitted you didn't know it was me in the beginning. So how is it you could read me?"

"That's true," shrugged Wolf. "But it's not just what you look like, but what you do that gave you away. You were not subtle when you asked about Havoc. In fact, you were too direct. And ole' Frank there easily ratted you out."

Fox rubbed his chin, thinking a moment. "I have no control what the bartender does or says, so that was out of my hands."

"On the contrary, it is in your hands."

The lupine and he met eyes again. He still had that smug grin on his face but it wasn't out of malicious amusement, Fox gathered. He was being sincere.

"How should I have handled it?"

Wolf leaned back on his chair resting both paws behind his head. "There are a number of things you can do. The easiest is to threaten him outright. Scare the shit out of him."

"That seems too basic."

"It only seems that way, but it requires you to have background info about Frank, which I'm guessing you don't."

"None at all."

"Then that gives you the next option: get him drunk."

Fox shook his head. "I'd have used up more money on that."

"No, you wouldn't have," corrected Wolf. "You probably would've saved money, actually. I didn't see how you started your exchange with him, but you forked up 500 credits on the spot. Would've been cheaper to just buy him drinks, flatter him a bit, then pull out the information."

He thought about that for a moment and started to see the genius to it. But now it felt like he was being criticized and it reminded him how it was back in the academy before the war. How every move he did in the air was subject to scrutiny by his peers and professors. He folded his arms and bit his lip.

"The last thing," Wolf went on, "is to pull the information from him directly."

"Like he would've parted with that intel so easily," scoffed Fox.

"He would," said Wolf. "It's how you get it that matters this time. This is the hardest way to get information."

His ears perked up. "Go on."

"I don't prefer this way. Requires you to be very charismatic while also knowing who you are talking with. Helps also if you can read people well. But you sort of weave in questions here and there when talking. Not direct questions, mind you. Asking bluntly, 'where the hell is havoc,' won't work. In this sense… you could've said something like, 'Aw shit, my weapons have been giving me hell. How do you keep yours so well,' or some other bullshit like that. And that in turn could lead up to the bartender giving up information on Havoc."

"I see," nodded Fox. "So going that route, he would've mentioned all his weapons came from the man. Then, I can inquire who is Havoc, and he would tell me all about him and his troubles here."

"Now you're getting it," smiled Wolf. He was leaning forward again, elbows on his knees and his head resting on his paws. There was a glint in his eye, Fox noticed. Like a teacher upon seeing their pupil succeed. It made Fox's stomach do flips again.

"Okay," he blushed. "So you've proven that I'm inexperienced in that sense. But why does teaming up benefit me. Or hell, how does it benefit you? You already have your team."

Wolf shrugged. "We both have combat experience, pup. Against each other, we've torn our ships apart time and time again. And after your work with the gangs, I know just how well you do outside of your ship also. Just imagine what we'd accomplish together?"

He did have a point. With their combined prowess they'd more than likely be unstoppable. And having two heads looking for someone would be easier than working alone. Not to mention that Wolf had experience that Fox didn't. But while Fox didn't have his team anymore, why hadn't Wolf mentioned the others?

"Why not include Panther and Leon in on this?" he asked.

"They're all pretty occupied now," replied Wolf. "Leon is off on some secret mission of his and Panther has a new girl." He added in a grunt at the end of that sentence when Fox gave him a disapproving look.

"Besides," he went on, "the two of us shouldn't even need them. But, if you insist, they're all a phone call away if we have to use them."

That answer would have to do. Fox didn't know what he was gunning for there. Perhaps find some similarity between both teams; maybe StarWolf had also disbanded due to lack of jobs during peacetime. It wasn't the case, but part of him had wished it was so.

His resolve, however, had already waned. He no longer could blatantly refuse Wolf. He was intrigued. In fact, now he wanted it. There was no way he could back out of the thrill of the hunt and return to some simple job back home in Corneria. And… he had to admit to himself that there was something about Wolf now that had caught his attention. The more he thought about it the more he realized that he wanted to figure out what it was and what to do about it.

"Say I agree to working with you," said Fox. "How would we manage it? Ships, guns, supplies in general?"

Wolf grinned roguishly. "I have the weaponry part settled already."

"You do? How?" He saw Wolf's grin grow larger before he realized his answer. He narrowed his eyes and said, "You took Havoc's offer, didn't you?"

"Guilty," Wolf sneered.

"You took a deal from an _illegal_ arms dealer? Do you know how fucked up that is?" He started to rant on further but Wolf held up a paw to stop him.

"When someone gives you a deal like that, bounty or not, you take it."

"It's against the law, Wolf."

"That's your military training and Cornerian bravado talking, pup," snapped Wolf. "If you really want to be a hunter, you have to find and live within that gray boundary. There are no simple right and wrongs with hunting."

Fox hesitated. "Five percent off is still a shit discount."

"I agree. So I added fixing his leg into the picture and demanded he cut us fifty percent instead. And to fork up half of his own bounty to get you here."

Even Fox had to admit that was a better deal, amazed the cheetah had that much spare cash on him.

"After that, I accepted his _full offer_."

"And that was?"

"Everything he offered you and more."

Fox didn't know why Wolf's smile kept getting larger. He tried his best to recall everything Havoc tried to offer him before… something about being a discount… being a slave… and if he was into it…

His eyes widened. "You took _that_ offer too? You fucked him?"

Wolf shrugged. "I have no comment. But it doesn't concern you anyway, doesn't it?"

It didn't. But for some reason it really bothered him. His mind flashed between the cheetah-man, Wolf's half naked body…

"Are you telling me you're gay?"

"Don't get carried away, pup," interrupted Wolf. "Were there any other questions?"

Fox did his best to get the thoughts out of his head. He hesitated before asking, "What about ships? You mentioned ships."

"Ah yes," said Wolf, yawning. He also patted at the fur on his chest, realizing he had now dried. He got up and back toward the dresser while talking. "I know you still have an arwing. Saw it yesterday."

"That's correct. I-" before he finished, Wolf dropped his towel, exposing his rear while he opened up a drawer. "What the hell?"

"I'm changing. You make it out like you've never seen a naked man change or something. I know you military types do this shit all the time."

Fox just gaped, unsure how to answer.

"Ok, so you have your arwing," he said while casually grabbing a pair of boxers and stepped into them.

" _He wears boxers…"_ thought Fox, unable to look away from the lupine. But he cleared his throat and continued. "I don't have any other ships. I told you the Great Fox is gone, so there's no real place to dock the ships outside of ports."

"I can manage that," said Wolf, fumbling in the drawer again before pulling out a pair of blue jeans and a black wife-beater. "We'll use our frig. Can hold up to four fighters and house ten people comfortably."

"I didn't know you had your own frig," mused Fox.

"And that's for the best," countered Wolf, pulling up the jeans and then slipping the shirt over his head. "If you had, you and your shitshow probably would've blown it up by now."

Fox rolled his eyes, but knew it was more than likely true. They had pretty much destroyed Sargasso during the aparoid attack. He didn't know what Wolf had to do to repair it but it must've been a hassle for him. Which brought up more concerns and doubts as soon as he remembered that. "How do I know this isn't some trick?"

"You don't," Wolf scowled and reclaimed his seat. "I'm aware of our bad history, pup. But this is different now. This is just you and me."

"Working together," Fox added.

"Yes, working together."

Fox bit his lip, keeping eye contact with Wolf to try and see if he could read the man. Find out if he had any tricks up his sleeve. But he didn't see anything obvious and that made him feel uncomfortable. There were many doubts in his mind and those alone urged him to say no.

" _Just do it, dammit! You came here to tell him no in the first place!"_

Instead, he sighed and muttered out, "I don't know. I'll need to think it over. Give me the night to consider it."

Wolf's eyes narrowed. "Fine. I'll give you the night. But think fast. The next marks won't stay put while you mull shit over."

"Marks?" Fox asked, unsure if he heard the plural correctly.

"That's right. Marks." The older male examined Fox, trying to think of what best to say next. "I'll let you in on some of the information then. If you agree to work with me, I'll tell you the rest. If not, then I go alone and better not see you trying to take the marks.. If you do then I'll be tearing your ass a new one."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," droned Fox.

"Good. Now listen." He leaned down even closer, Fox matching but also aware just how close they were to each other. "The next two marks are a husband and wife pair. The dude's a bruiser - all brawn and no real brains. The wife is really the difficult one."

"What makes her so special?"

"She's a hacker. Nothing too good, but good enough to make a name of herself. She doesn't like to make appearances. Leaves that to her hubby."

Fox smiled upon hearing Wolf say hubby. "And who wants these guys? Why?"

"You'll love this part," smiled Wolf. "The military does." Wolf grunted in approval when he saw Fox's ears twitch. "Yeah, I knew you'd like that."

"So whatever they did has the military upset. That means they'll run a good price."

"Correct. A whopping 50,000 credits each."

Fox's eyes bugged out. "Shit! That's more than you were worth!"

"I'm flattered," Wolf said flatly. "But yes, a total of 100,000 if we get them both. Now," he stood up and extended out a paw. "Hand me your phone, pup."

Reflexively, he reached for his phone in his pocket and handed it over. The lupine punched in a few numbers while Fox stood up and stretched. Sitting for so long had made him sore.

"Here's my number," said Wolf, handing the device back to him. "I've given you plenty to think about tonight. But like I said-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Be quick about it," Fox rolled his eyes.

"Good boy," he smirked back, his tail giving a little wag. "Now go on and get. I have things to do and places to be."

And unceremoniously, he placed both his paws onto Fox's shoulders, spun him around and pushed him out the door, amidst Fox's complaints. The vulpine landed on the floor and glared back at Wolf.

"Wolf! This is the second time you've thrown me on my back, you know!"

"I know, pup. It looks good on you," he grinned and shut the door.

~ ::: ~

Fox had spent the rest of the day lost within his own thoughts. There wasn't anything else left to do at Wolf's hotel after their meeting so he tried to spend the rest of his day as routinely as he could. Most of it involved walking. Walking to get lunch. Walking to explore the random shops that were in the better part of the planet. And of course, walking to get back to his own hotel room.

Wurthurd, itself, wasn't much of a city compared to the hustle and bustle of Corneria. From within his own balcony, Fox was able to see and count a good fifteen to twenty tall buildings that stood in the twilight. Around them were smaller shops mixed in with the dilapidated mess that was a constant reminder of the previous war.

He had half a mind to wander off to the Katina base and meet up with Bill, but decided against it. Now with the team disbanded, the bulldog would do his best to try and have him join him in the military. It wasn't something he hadn't done before and Fox was always quick to remind him he already worked as a merc with StarFox. He didn't have that excuse anymore.

Then there was Wolf. He couldn't just exclaim he was going out with his long-time rival to begin a bounty hunting career. Even thinking it seemed odd, let alone saying it out loud.

" _I wonder what they would all say?"_ he thought. " _Probably call me crazy…"_

In his paw was his phone; Something he hadn't let go of since returning back to his room. A few times he would swipe down to Wolf's number, stare at it a moment, then quickly cancel out of the screen and stare back out the windows. He had even gotten close to calling Krystal, thinking that she could lend him a supporting ear or even advice, but before she would pick up he hung up and continued frowning at his phone.

" _C'mon, Fox… it's just a yes or no. This should be easy shit for you to figure out."_

Wolf was his rival. They've been at each other's throats since he could remember him. The man was a criminal. _Was_ a criminal. And even with his bounty gone, he still had that history following him.

On the other paw, Wolf had experience. He could learn a few things from him when it came to hunting. If he even managed to make it a lifetime career. And if things did go well, then they'd be partners. So then he wouldn't need to see that cheetah, Havoc and…

His heart skipped a beat, realizing where his thoughts were taking him.

" _What is wrong with me? So what if he slept with that man… It shouldn't bother me, right?"_

He looked down at his phone one more time, Wolf's number highlighted again. Fox took a deep breath and pressed down on the call button.

A few beeps later and he heard Wolf's gruff voice on the other side.

"Wolf...yeah... It's me. I'll do it."


	3. Chapter 3

**[Hunter]**

 **Jack Russo**

 _Starfox and all characters related to the Nintendo universe are copyright their respective owners._

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

* * *

 **A/N:** Hello everyone. It's been a long...well...year since I posted a story here. I'm sorry for everyone that was eager for more chapters to come faster but a whole lot has happened. The biggest being that I no longer live in Virginia and have moved to sunny San Diego 8-). But as the new year has come, I've made it a resolution of mine to start writing more and try...TRY... to get at least one thing uploaded a month on here as well as the other sites I have my stories in. That being said, I'll probably be more active on So Furry than here as there will come a time where certain aspects of this story will be...not allowed _though I'm surprised Dive Bar is still around_. But here it is, Chapter 3. I hope you enjoy it and, as always, comments and critiques are welcome. Expect Chapter 4 sometime at the end of next month :)

Keep up with me on Twitter: AtlasBryyo

or on So Furry at: .com

* * *

If Wolf was surprised, he didn't show it. At least, as much as Fox could discern from their brief talk on the phone anyway. But Fox didn't let that faze him and quickly packed up his belongings before making his way out the hotel toward his arwing. Near the docking bay he had to weave between people and blurt out a quick, "Sorry!" whenever he bumped into them.

Finding the frigate was easy enough. It wasn't too far away from orbit and it drifted lazily in front of one of Katina's smaller moons. The ship itself wasn't anything remarkable and looked to need repair here and there. Bronze light reflected off of the hull, but Fox could tell that at one point it was supposed to be red. Or orange.

"This is Fox, requesting permission to dock," he buzzed on the radio.

It took a few moments before he got an answer, but he grinned upon hearing Wolf's hoarse voice. "No need to be so formal, pup. I'll let you in. Rear doors are opening."

He circled his way around the ship, taking a few moments to inspect the craft a bit more before decelerating through the docking bay doors. It wasn't the largest of docks, but just like Wolf had said, it would comfortably fit up to four fighter jets. _The Wolfens,_ Fox remembered.

The arwing hovered and the park assist activated, allowing Fox to direct the craft into the nearest dock. Across from him was a lone Wolfen, its exterior battered from multiple battles. He flicked a few switches on his console and listened as the hum of the engines died down, now noticing that a third ship was there. It was a bit larger but obviously not made for combat. A shuttle perhaps?

Wolf emerged from the blast doors further down the catwalk and snapped Fox out of his thoughts. His heart beat several miles a minute and adrenaline surged throughout his veins. It was this feeling he relished. The feeling of something new. Emotions that came forward when taking on new and difficult missions, all the while unsure if the outcome would be life or death.

But this was also different. Sure, hunting was something new, but this wasn't exactly a mission. This was a new partnership. With his rival. A man he was often on the verge of killing or being killed by, and that danger warranted him to be cautious. Yet, all he could feel was a giddy excitement. And he had no idea why other than that Wolf was making it happen.

"I see you _can_ make up your mind quickly," Wolf drawled.

Fox rolled his eyes after hopping out of his jet. "And why would you think otherwise?"

"Just what I'm used to," he smirked and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks, I suppose," answered Fox. He looked around briefly before adding, "So, does this clunker have a name?"

"Hey, don't tease Betsy."

"Betsy? Why on Lylat would you name a ship Betsy?"

Wolf shrugged. "She's got personality. Now c'mon, I'll take you to where you'll be stayin' and say what's what along the way."

Fox nodded and grabbed his things before shutting the cockpit doors. "Lead the way."

Wolf nodded and directed him back through the door he had come from. "Now listen close, pup. Betsy's insides are pretty simple to figure out. These rooms to the left and right of us are more for the engineer types to tinker with so I won't go into detail on those. The two after them, the one on the left is hydroponics and the right is the med lab."

"Makes sense," said Fox. "Right close to the docking bay in case there are injuries."

"Or dumbass mistakes made in engineering," added Wolf. "It's actually a large room, so we put all the workout equipment there as well since all the med shit just takes up a corner."

" _We_ as in Star Wolf, you mean?"

"Yes, them," Wolf said after a moment's hesitation.

"Ah, and this is the elevator, I'm to assume," said Fox, nodding at large, bold print displaying _elevator_ on them.

"No shit," smirked Wolf. "I'll show you which buttons you'll need to press, it actually can get pretty confusing for newcomers."

"I think I would know how to work an elevator," Fox had started, but his eyes widened at the myriad of wires popping out of the console. "Whoa."

"Yeah, it's a mess. Here, these three," he pointed a claw at the flickering buttons at the center, "The top one will take you to the bridge. This middle one is the next floor, where you'll find crew quarters, the kitchen, lounge and my captain's suite."

"What's in the lounge?"

Wolf shrugged. "Just a ton of crap me and the team had picked up during the war and other missions. Now c'mon, let's keep going."

The elevator moved quickly despite being in disarray and they continued out to the furthest door on the right. Inside was a cozy setup of eight bunk beds which lined the walls across from them; two on the left, four in the center, and the last two on the right. The lighting inside was dim, and Fox was able to pick up the faint scents of a feline and reptile. A small television hung at one corner of the room and opposite of that was a tattered poster with a picture of she-bear wielding a large, gun-axe and a cigar in her mouth.

"Looks…nice," Fox smiled.

"It'll do, pup," replied Wolf, pulling out a chair from the only desk in the center of the room. "I'll try and make this short. We've both had a pretty interesting day and I'm tired."

Fox blushed and his ears folded back remembering the lupine's naked form.

"Take a seat."

"You're in the only chair."

He glowered. "Don't be funny. Just sit on this bunk next to me."

Fox hesitated but did as he was told, dropping his bag beside the nearest bunk before crawling in. The top bunk hung lower than he thought, forcing him to lean out and close to Wolf in order to sit comfortably. He was very aware that sitting like this had them mere inches from each other, his paw resting on his knee and close enough to feel the warmth coming from the lupine's leg.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" asked Fox.

"Our targets are a husband and wife pair. I believe I went over that before in Katina."

"Yep," recalled Fox. "Wanted by the military."

"Good, you remembered. They go by the aliases of Rock and Roll."

"How clever."

Wolf ignored him. "Rock is the bruiser. And according to Havoc's intel, he'll be making a stop in Fichina within the next few days."

"What's he doing there?"

Wolf shrugged. "Who the fuck cares? What's important is that he'll be there."

Fox squinted his eyes at how quick Wolf was to brush that off. He preferred things to be more calculated, and consider all situations that might either be to their advantage or not. But he played along and asked, "What about the wife. Roll?"

"Since she doesn't make any appearances, no one really knows what she looks like and, honestly, if she even exists. But it's assumed she does since Rock isn't the brightest crayon in the box and someone has enough talent to get on the bad side of the law."

Fox thought about that for a moment. "So you're thinking if we snatch him, she'll probably show up?"

"That's the plan, at the moment. Listen, Havoc's intel appears pretty solid and if things work out then we've got it good. It doesn't matter what they did or why they're going wherever the fuck they want. All that matters to us as hunters is that they have a sweet price on their heads and I'll take what I can get."

Fox could agree to that much, remembering how his expenditures for this new hobby had nearly broke his bank. He frowned, though. Something still didn't seem right to him as he repeated everything in his head. Husband and wife pair. Lure one out by capturing the other. Going to Fichina. But… "Why Fichina?"

Wolf rolled his eyes and threw up his paws. "Havoc's report wasn't specific on that. Just that he will be staying at some winter resort that's popular this time of year."

That would mean large crowds. Should anything get out of hand then a lot of people could get hurt. It also meant that he, of all people, would be noticed quickly on reputation alone.

His frowned deepend. This complicated things more.

"You're overthinking this."

"Of course I am," growled Fox. "There are too many things that could go wrong here. Too many people who can get hurt in potential crossfire."

"Welcome to bounty hunting."

"That's not...a good excuse," he sighed. "Not only that. If I go there I would get noticed. Wouldn't that spook off Rock? And what about you? Wasn't your face plastered all over the holo-net too?"

"I had considered that but I have an easy solution," he said, taking out a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket and sliding them over his eyes. "Look. Now I'm incognito," he beamed.

If it was supposed to be a joke, Fox didn't know how to react. The gesture was very uncharacteristic of the Wolf _he_ knew. "How...how is that hiding?"

"Look, you're right," he sighed. "Your reputation is an issue. But mine is not as much. Despite my publicity during the war, very few people would be able to pick me out in public other than outlaws. In fact, I figure it could also be useful to exploit should Rock need to reach out to someone."

"Ok, so that's reasonable," Fox nodded. "But what about me?"

"I would say you stay behind the scenes, but if I know you as well as I think I know you, you won't go for that."

Fox squinted his eyes, "That's right."

"Then," Wolf opened up the drawer and pulled out a small box. The outside cover displayed a vixen with a huge smile, a paw running across her glistening and darkened fur. "You do this."

Fox jerked his head back. "Dye!?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

No, he didn't. It was a simple solution, and one that would work in a quick bind. "There's only one box."

Wolf pulled the drawer open further, revealing four more. "I came prepared, Fox. Don't underestimate me."

He rolled his eyes. "Jeez, it's almost as if you knew I'd be here."

"I did," he smiled and wagged his tail. "If you don't have any other questions, I suggest you start using these. I'll need to set the ship to fly to Fichina before I nod off. You can find the showers and bathrooms across the hall. I'm sure you can manage all this on your own."

"I'm pretty sure I can."

Wolf stood up, stretched and made his way out the door. "Then go on and handle your business. Me: I've got a few things to do myself. If you're hungry feel free to whatever you can grab in the kitchen. Other than that, get some rest, and I'll see you when we arrive."

Fox hesitated after he left, trying to sort things through his head more before he attempted to get up. For a while he rummaged through his pack, frowning as he realized that he wasn't equipped with any cold weather clothing for Fichina's climate. That'd meant having to buy something to keep warm, or opting to keep inside his armor since it did provide some environmental protection. The latter wouldn't work, though. As if _being_ Fox McCloud would've gotten attention, that armor suit would've done the same or more. He sighed and grasped the box Wolf had placed on the table and shuffled for the others in the drawer.

It took nearly an hour of rubbing his fur with the dark dye, all the while having to refer to the box for directions multiple times, before he had any confidence that the disguise may work.

This was followed by an hour-long wait for it to "stick" before he could even wash it off. Many a time he was afraid Wolf would walk in on him, naked with mangled fur completely caked in chemicals and going all over the place. The smell of it was even worse and perhaps it was what kept Wolf away the entire time.

When he was satisfied his fur was masked enough, he entered the showers. Water sputtered out in inconsistent bursts, forcing him to huddle as close to the shower head as possible. And since the box was especially clear that it would all need to be rinsed off or risk: "serious chemical burns," this took more time than it should have. He was only able to amuse himself watching the black water filter off his fur and down the drain.

When he was finished, he peeked out of the doors, eyeing to see if the lupine was lurking about, but didn't see him. The coast clear, he rushed off back to crew quarters and shut the door. Wolf may have been all too eager of giving him a show, but Fox wasn't one for it. Having his prying eye scanning him made him too...uneasy. However, he couldn't help but admit to himself he was a bit disappointed to not have seen him. But rather than linger around with those thoughts it was more appealing to wrap up in blankets and pass out on the nearest bunk, not even bothering to change into anything else to sleep in.

It was good to finally relax after having been on the move so much in the past few days. From scampering all over Katina for information, fighting off some goons, nearly winning his first bounty… And then Wolf, taking away all that hard work in a quick sweep like an opportunist vulture. He was still angry knowing the bastard was still smug about getting the one-up on him. But it wasn't like he didn't the following day, right? He got to intrude on him while he was unprepared and naked. That look of surprise on his muzzle upon seeing how Fox arrived early was enough to make him grin in his sleep.

Needless to say, it wasn't the most honorable of victories, but he'll take it. Another notch on his list of achievements against Wolf. Seeing just how his wet fur clung to his skin and brought out his well built frame... And that curious slither of white just in the groin. It made his mind drift on to what he and that cheetah must've done the night prior in that hotel room. Fox remembered that vague feline scent mixed in with Wolf's. He didn't like it. It wasn't right. How that meek cat would probably be lying there, staring into that deep, violet eye. Hearing him mutter his name…

"Fox."

That's right. His muzzle mouthing out those words…

"Fox…?"

Wait...Fox? Not Havoc?

"Fox!"

He got up with a start, his forehead slamming up against Wolf's. Both of them recoiled with grunts, the lupine shouting out a curse. "What the hell, Wolf! What are you doing here?"

"You son of a bitch, my head," he growled while rubbing his temple. "We're here, shit."

"Here?" It took Fox a moment to remember, "Fichina. Wow, that was fast."

"Fast? You've been out nearly ten hours."

"Ah," he groaned, also rubbing the spot his head butted up against Wolf, his vision blurry.

"Anyway, I've put something for you by the desk to change into. It'll be cold and since you looked to be lightly packed, I figured you didn't have any cold-weather garments."

As soon as his eyes had cleared he looked up at Wolf and frowned. The lupine was still staring at him, biting his lip as if considering what to say next. "Anything else?"

He grunted. "Once you've changed and you're done getting your boner down, meet me at the cargo hold."

Fox quickly darted his eyes to the very obvious tent that had formed from the blankets. This time he did hit his head when he jumped. He cursed, then looked back at Wolf who… was already gone.

 _Shit…_

He scampered out of bed, ears flattened and hastily pulled up a pair of underwear from his pack. He was so flustered he didn't even pay attention to the dark garments he was putting on, nor the obvious dark fur that appeared in the reflection of the mirror across the room. How on earth did his own dreams wander to Wolf and his encounter the other night? And why did it bother him so much? And why was it his name he saw coming out of Wolf's mouth in the dream? And why the fuck did it make him hard?

It all was a mixture of confusing and humiliating for him he couldn't help growling in frustration. _So much for having that extra notch on my belt._

"Well look at you," Wolf said when he caught up with him. "Can barely tell you're you with all that fur."

"I wouldn't know," Fox muttered. He didn't like that grin that hung on Wolf's face. "So I'm here, we set?"

"That we are. We'll be taking the shuttle this time. Our jets would be too obvious to point out."

"Agreed. So we'll land and do our best to appear as civilians. Then, we can gather some intel. Perhaps the local bars? See if anyone knows if Rock has arrived yet or not."

"That would be a good, but I've already got an idea on where to start."

Fox tilted his head. "Where's that?"

"While you were having yourself a Rip-Van-Winkle, I managed to get one last bit of information from our supplier."

Fox frowned. "That guy again?"

"Yes," Wolf's grin got larger. "Seems our target has a favorite spot in the resort to go to."

"Well, if the intel is good then it's a start."

"Oh, yes." His expression still hadn't changed. In fact, it was more a full toothy smile that Fox was now worried.

"What...Why are you smiling? What are you hiding."

"You'll see. Don't worry about it for now. Now I'll go in the shuttle first." By now he was laughing. "I wouldn't want you to give me _head_ again now."

Fox flushed. He could feel the dye drain and turn back orange.

"Don't worry, pup. I know who to call should we need to go camping and pitch tents."


End file.
